


Unfortunate Roommates

by thedorkyastra



Series: Unfortunate Roommates [1]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: F/M, but it doesn't end with that, it hasn't ended though so maybe it will, its cute fluffy stuff where Doyle draws, okay so its starts with, there's some swearing but aside from that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2016-01-23
Packaged: 2018-05-04 12:21:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5333924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedorkyastra/pseuds/thedorkyastra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Due to lack of rooms in Armonia that were up for living in, and the increase of Armonia’s population, many were in pairs for the rooming. It had been decided at random who would be rooming with who, and out of all the odds Doyle and Kimball had been paired for rooming."</p><p>Doyle and Kimball end up sharing a room in Armonia due to lack of space and trying to force them to get along, many shenanigans will ensue. Doyle likes to draw and do paperwork, Kimball likes to get on his nerves and tease him. But as time goes on, what will happen between these two roommates? </p><p>Roommates AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Easy On the Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> So yes there will be some timeline issues and other issues but bear with me it's fanfiction and I do my best.

Doyle was at his desk doing paperwork, while his fellow general tested her guns in the same room causing him to jump each time a bullet has fired. Due to lack of rooms in Armonia that were up for living in, and the increase of Armonia’s population, many were in pairs for the rooming. It had been decided at random who would be rooming with who, and out of all the odds Doyle and Kimball had been paired for rooming. Despite the protests of Kimball mainly, Washington would not change the pairs. His reasoning being that this way Kimball and Doyle will have some time to get to know each other and make amends. 

Much to the dismay of many, this plan of Wash’s didn’t work out like planned, instead the tensions between the two turned into a silent seething on Kimball’s side. 

Doyle sighed and continued checking if the numbers for all their supplies matched up and groaned inwardly when he saw that the “luxury” foods (or rather snacks) had gone down much faster than they were supposed to. He wrote a note on the paper to have Washington confront Grif on this problem, once again. He jumped again as Kimball shot the target several times. He wanted to pretend that he didn’t see her smirking at that.

Doyle turned in his seat to face her and tried to make his voice as strong as possible, “Miss Kimball, would you mind giving me some warning before you fire six rounds into the target? Its rather disorienting and I’m trying to get some work done here.” 

“Work? All you do is write on papers all day long.” Kimball fired another six rounds into the target in their room.

“Writing on papers all day long happens to be what I am good at Miss Kimball, and happens to be one of the reasons that all of our supplies are kept up nicely since I keep good track. If it weren’t for me the army would be in disarray.” Doyle was scared honestly that she was going to put a bullet through his head next, but he wasn’t going to let her bad mouth the only thing he could do well. 

Kimball just rolled her eyes and kept firing until she was almost out of ammunition, and then decided not to waste anymore on training. She sat down by her small wall of favorite guns and began to clean out the one she had just been using. Doyle sighed and went back to his work.

He noticed how focused she was and bit his lip as he looked under some paperwork at a drawing, the paper was a bit worn with use. He slipped the paper out from underneath and grabbed a pencil from the cup that held many other writing utensils and began to draw. 

Doyle kept looking at Kimball as he drew, but came faced with a problem when drawing the mouth. He would be lying to himself if he said he hadn’t spent many a time looking at her lips, but he had never seen her smile so he was having trouble drawing it. He stared at the unfinished artwork sighing and making noises of frustration and drawing and erasing over and over again.  
Kimball looked up from her gun and eyed Doyle, ‘What in the world- is he drawing?’ she thought to herself. She looked at him perplexed at how in the WORLD he could be drawing right now. 

“Doyle what the fuck are you doing.” It was more of a statement really than a question.

Doyle jumped in his seat and immediately hid his artwork before turning to Kimball and smiling, “Nothing at all! Just you know, good ol’ paperwork.”

“Bullshit you were drawing.”

Doyle suddenly became very panicked, “No, no not at all! Just boring ol’ paperwork here!” 

Kimball gave him a deadpan look and Doyle’s panicked smile fell as he hung his head in shame, “Fine, fine I was drawing.” He looked away as he cheeks slightly reddened, “But I don’t see how it is important.”

Kimball walked up to him slowly, now very curious, “What were you drawing?” This made Doyle go even redder and Kimball couldn’t help but grin at the other general’s behavior, it wasn’t often she saw him or anyone else flustered. 

“N-nothing important just uh, something I have been working on for a long time. I’m sure you wouldn’t find it very interesting-” 

“Show it to me.”

Doyle stared at her wide eyed and in shock before looking down at the small pile of papers where the drawing lie underneath. He rest his hands on the desk and was silent for a while, not sure what to do in this situation. Kimball would probably shoot him right now if she saw what he was drawing, but he couldn’t tell her no. Not with her grinning and looking so excited at him like that, he had never seen her smile before now.

He let out a long sigh and slowly brought out the picture and handed it to Kimball, his face now extremely red and turned away from her. Kimball took it out his hand with excitement and studied the picture, her smile fell as she looked at it confused.

Her silence worried Doyle and he turned to see her, but her expression only made him worry more. “Apologies about the smile, I haven’t really seen you smile before so I had to leave it to my imagination. If it's any consolation, your smile is much prettier than I drew it- wait. I-I didn’t…”

Kimball looked at him bewildered as Doyle stuttered and stammered, “I-I um…”

“Why did you draw me?”  
Doyle chuckled and calmed down a bit, it seemed he wasn’t going to get shot. “Well to be honest, you're the only person worth drawing. Or at least I think so…”

“There’s plenty of people probably more attractive than me-”

“I find you to be most beautiful person in Armonia and all of Chorus if I may be perfectly honest Miss Kimball.” Doyle looked sheepish now and missed the darkening of Kimball’s cheeks. 

“I- thank you…” Kimball was silent after that and gave the picture back to Doyle as she went back and sat with her weapons. Doyle chuckled as he noticed her furiously cleaning an already clean gun. 

Many minutes went by until Kimball spoke again and Doyle almost missed what she said, “You’re not too bad on the eyes either, Donald.”

Doyle beamed, “Thank you, Vanessa.”


	2. Tea Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doyle notices the little things, Kimball is surprised.

Vanessa Kimball was not one to be mushy gushy over her feelings whether they be platonic or romantic, she had no time to daydream over her dream man or woman. She had no time to think about whether she wanted to be a mother or a wife even, if she would ever have a life beyond the war. At this point this war, all this death and responsibility, felt like all she ever knew. As if the former Vanessa Kimball ceased to exist when she allied with the Rebel cause. She was General Kimball now who had to lead her people, she had no time to relax.

Yet he did.

It infuriated her to see the blonde man sitting at his desk with his paperwork, taking a break with a god damn cup of fucking tea. Where the hell did he even get tea? And why the hell was he just lounging around while other soldiers trained because of the looming threat of the Mercs and Hargrove?!

“Doyle what the hell do you think you’re doing?” her voice was curt and she was giving him the evil eye. If he turned around he would faint for sure at the fear that her evil strikes. 

He did not turn around and continued sipping at his tea and said very simply and calmly, “I am taking a break Miss Kimball, would you like to join me?” 

“JOIN YOU?! Were in the middle of a war Doyle not a tea party!” she yelled at him, quickly losing any calm she might have in store. Doyle flinched a little but at this point he was used to her fits and temper tantrums as he liked to joke to himself. 

“I-I am very aware of our current situation, but if you don’t slow down and relax every once and while you are bound to burn out. And you’ll do no good to our people burnt out and unable to fight all because you were to stubborn and prideful to relax.” he had set down his cup and looked at her seriously and with concern. “I am worried about you, you haven’t slept properly for days.”

She looked at him surprised and her mouth went slightly agape, “I…” Kimball sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘I will not admit that he’s right.’ “What… What kind of tea do you have?” 

Doyle (who had been looking rather terrified after his display of confidence) brightened up and smiled excitedly, “Nothing particularly fancy, but I think I have a simple black tea that might suit your tastes.” 

Kimball allows herself a small smile, “You know me that well already?” 

He jumps up a bit too chipper to a small cabinet on his side of the room, “A pleasant side effect of living with you Miss Kimball, I get to know these nice little things about you.” He bit his lip at the last part and his face slightly reddened. He dared to look behind him to see Kimball’s reaction and sighed in relief to see she was busying herself with his sketchbook, a new habit of hers.

As he pours her a cup of tea she makes a disapproving sound and he raises brow at her, “Something the matter?” 

She looks up at him briefly and looks back at some of the sketches, “No, you’re just drawing more people.”

He smiles and says teasingly, “There’s more of you, don’t worry.”

She gives him an annoyed look before returning to flip through the pages and doesn’t notice Doyle putting in the sugar and milk. He sits himself in his previous seat and pours himself another cup of tea and the two of them sit in silence. The cup Kimball reaches for subconsciously is a very fancy white cup with forget me nots painted around the top. She takes a sip and makes a noise of approval. 

"So Miss Kimball, have you thought what you might do after this is all over?" he's sipping his cup and looking at her curiously. He wants to ask her so many questions, he wants to know everything about her, but with this question alone he's scared of overstepping a boundary with her. He's constantly scared of that. 

She eyes him suspiciously like he might have an ulterior motive to wanting to know about her, she knows he's not... him... He's Donald Doyle who's scared of holding a gun and likes to drink tea and do paperwork. It amuses her and infuriates her at the same time that he's not the giant asshole dictator she thought she was fighting. And she knows he's not going to manipulate her and get her to like him, he doesn't have the skills for that. 'Although I've been fooled before...' 

"I haven't thought about it." She's short and dismissive and goes back to flipping through the sketchbook. 

He huffs in disappointment, "You haven't thought about getting married or having kids at all? Then what keeps you fighting?"

Vanessa knows she's low on morale, she honestly doesn't know what she's fighting for anymore. "I have other things to think about Doyle, I don't even have the time to think about whether or not I'll have children till I've made a world that I want them to live in. That's what I fight for." They are both silent for a moment and Kimball notices his dejected expression. She shifts in her seat and looks up at him, "Have you thought about that?"

Doyle relaxes again and smiles, "I've always wanted to get married and have children, although I can't a single woman on Chorus who would want to marry me! I'm too weak for a bunch of soldier women."

Kimball smiles teasingly, "Maybe they want a weak man like you to dominate."

"Miss Kimball!"

His face goes red again and she laughs. His caught in between watching enchantedly and making flustered noises, and Doyle can feel his head spinning. He doesn't know whether he should feel flattered or offended and he doesn't know what to do with his hands. Fidgeting would not help him look or feel any less embarrassed so he drinks his tea with a confused, flustered, and alarmed expression that has Kimball laughing the rest of their time together.

It’s not till later that day when she’s meeting with Washington and Carolina that she realizes she never told him how she liked her tea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at all this fluffy stuff
> 
> Warning 
> 
> This fic won't be fluffy forever
> 
> Also it won't be incredibly long


	3. Hypocrite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both of them have terrible sleeping habits apparently. Or maybe they are just exchanging habits. Who knows?

Doyle was always a fan of before bed rituals, made him relaxed and prepared for sleep, but he found himself recently slacking. Which was quite unusual seeing as how he never slacked on anything. With the slight exception of his weapons training. The numbers on the pages in front of him were beginning to blur together, and he was fighting a mini war with his eyelids that desperately wanting to close. But he couldn’t go to sleep. Not yet. Paperwork was one of the few things he could exceptionally well so he had to finish this. Even if it was the death of him.

He reached for his tea in hopes it would him, only to find it extremely cold and dark. It had been hours since he had this cup, he didn’t even remember to take the tea bag out. Doyle rubbed his face and eyes causing his glasses to get displaced and yawned. He wasn’t going to hold out for long. He had been doing this for days now… 

“Just…” he placed his head on his desk. “Just a small nap.”

When Kimball walked into her shared room that night she very much expected Doyle to be asleep in his bed wearing his very dorky handmade pajamas. They had lace. She did not find that adorable, no. Not in the slightest. She hated him and hated his dumb pajamas. But he was not in his bed nor was he in his pajamas. 

His desk, which he was sound asleep on, was covered in papers in complete disarray. The cup full of his pens and pencils had been tipped over, there was paperwork he was drooling on, paperwork on the floor, and a nasty looking cup of untouched tea. She sighed and rolled her eyes and got ready for bed. Which was just really getting out of her armor and suit and into a tank top and sweats. 

She got snuggled under the covers, a gun by her bedside in case of emergency and tried to get some sleep but found herself thinking about how cold Doyle would be. How that angle would hurt in the morning. How embarassed he was going to be when he found how he had drooled on the papers. She thought about the gross cup of tea was going to be to clean up and how he hated when he wasted tea.

She growled in annoyance which was really at herself but she directed it towards the sleeping Doyle and proceeded to work on cleaning up the desk. First was the tea cup, he must never know it had been there and wasted away. Then the papers that she could get without disturbing him. And lastly, she was going to wake him up to get him to move to an actual bed but she didn’t have the heart to. He looked so peaceful sleeping there.

She thought about how easy it would be kiss him right there and he would never know.

Wait what.

“Doyle. Get up.” she shook the blonde man, almost as if trying to shake him out of her thoughts. 

He slowly opened his eyes and yawned, “Ah… Thank you for waking me Vanessa.” He sat up straight and stretched his arms, “I only meant to take a small nap so that I could keep working.” He blinked and put a finger up, “Apologies, I mean Miss Kimball, not Vanessa. I’m very tired.”

She gave him a deadpan look, “Please don’t tell me you really are going to continue working?”

“I have work-”

“You haven’t slept right for days, you think I don’t notice but I do, go to sleep now. You’re even more useless than usual when you’re tired like this you, huge hypocrite.” She gave him a stern glare again and Doyle put his hands up in defeat. 

“You’re right. I’ll do that now.” He didn’t bother getting into his pajamas and brushing his teeth or anything, he just snuggled underneath the covers and put his glasses on the side table. Kimball followed suit and found her looking at Doyle from across the room. They were both sleeping towards each other, backs to their individual walls.

Doyle was soon drifting off again and mumbled sleepily, “Thank you, and goodnight Vanessa.”

She made a face, “You messed up again.” But he was already fast asleep and she sighed, “Goodnight Donald.”

Vanessa Kimball couldn’t sleep that night, making her the hypocrite now, which Doyle commented on when he noticed the bags under her eyes. But that night she couldn’t stop thinking about that momentary thought, and she couldn’t stop thinking about him. 

How was she supposed to act around him? Were they friends or enemies? They’d fight all day and then in these private little moments she yearns to be closer to him. To kiss him. She still looks down on him for his weaknesses, but was he really altogether that weak when he could lead a successful army? 

‘No Locus lead…’

But the Feds didn’t follow Locus, they followed Doyle. Donald Doyle who could hardly aim gun much less hold one. Donald Doyle who was only skilled as a secretary. Donald Doyle who would take the much more passive approach to things, the same Donald Doyle who she thought was completely evil. 

But in all honesty this man didn’t have a bad bone in his body, he was loyal and kind and intelligent. He did do what he thought was best for his people, even if she didn’t agree with all of it. And despite her yelling and arguing with him daily he still greeted her with a smile and tea. She hated this, how was he allowed to be so nice when they were supposed to hate each other. 

That morning Doyle tried to lightly tease Kimball about the bags under her eyes calling her a hypocrite for not sleeping. All he got in response though, was silence as they both slowly dressed for the day. They had their backs to each other as they put on their armor that day.

Had he said something in his sleep deprived state last night that set her off? Or maybe all the little moments where he thought they had bonded were fiction, and he had finally woken from a dream. Or maybe this was a nightmare and he would wake and it would be okay. 

Doyle sat in his office with a frown, he was supposed to meet with her soon.

Maybe she was just extra grumpy today? 

He put his face in his hands, who was he kidding, they were never close or anything close to being friendly. Those were select moments in time where he got lucky because she was just giving him the time of day. Whatever it was he was glad to at least have gotten to have those moments, they were some of the best that he had in this war. It showed that there was a chance that the Feds and News could actually live together in harmony potentially.

A knock came from the door, a Fed private announcing that Kimball was waiting to meet with him about the ammunition supply. This conversation was going to be just peachy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the real tension begins, I'm not sure how many more chapters this is going to be, I'm betting around 6 or so.


	4. Vanessa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the drama begins.

Doyle paced the room frantically, weighing the odds in his head.

Despite Carolina telling him not to send troops to the temple he couldn’t just leave them there, that didn’t feel right. And considering their limited number of aircraft and soldier there was no way he could get enough soldiers to the temple and to Carolina and other’s aide without taking away too much of their defenses in Armonia..

‘Let the mercenaries get the sword, or have the possibility of Carolina and the other’s dying.’ Neither were alright with him, and one possibility would have Kimball furious.

He passed by the big monitor in the war room and saw his reflection.

“I could always… But what if I…” Doyle shook his head. “I can do this! I will get the sword myself!” He exclaimed this rather loudly and felt quite silly when there was no one in the room.

He spent about five to ten minutes going back and forth between the war room and the garage, losing confidence and gaining confidence till he finally ran in and drove out screaming.

* * *

 

 

It was colder at the temple than he was used too, and the eerie silence was only disrupted by the sounds of pelicans closing into the location from a distance. He was for just a moment, all alone. No one could hear him, yell at him, or mock him.

And just for a second he could stand and pretend that he was wasn’t in mortal danger.

But of course that wasn’t reality, so he quickly recorded something and sent to his data pad back in Armonia labeling it, “IN CASE OF MY DEATH”

He saw the handle for the energy sword and took a deep breath for hesitantly putting his hand out to reach for it and then taking it back. ‘If I take this… I’ll have a bounty on my head for sure. Although given my current situation… I’ll be in danger of death either way.’ With another hesitant sigh he quickly snatched the handle for the energy sword and held it firmly. The real sword burst out for use and he yelped while jumping in surprise.

He sighed and closed his eyes, “I am so thankful that Kimball was not here to see that pathetic display.” He turned his attention back to the sword and turned it back and forth to inspect it. The electric blue was mesmerizing and he was stunned by what alien technology achieved. Even with all the advances in his own time, all of this alien tech was truly impressive.

Doyle swished the sword a little slowly and then smiled and continued to swish more rapidly, “Look at me now Kimball! An alien warrior to save you from the evil mercenaries.” He then bumped into the wall and yelped again. He sighed, “Or... Maybe not…”

He then heard the sound of a hovercraft landing, and he could feel the goosebumps rise all over his body as fear held him still for a moment.

He had to get out of here.

* * *

 

 

_“You should of thrown that sword off the mountain and taken the fucking bullet, but your too much of a stupid selfish coward to see that.”_

He never realized how much her words hurt him before. It wasn’t like there wasn’t times where her previous less… intense insults hadn’t affected him in some way. But that was before he had felt getting close to her. When you don’t know someone as well or hold them in a regard where they matter, their words do not sting. And even at the end of the day he felt in a past like in a sense she wasn’t serious. But he did know her now, and while he knew she was prone to outbursts that she stuck to her word no matter what. And now, now he knew how he felt about her.

And it hurt.

Lying down alone in his room was not something he was unused to, but it had grown less common as of late.

When he had come in, she immediately ran out without a word. He waited for hours for her to come back, staring at the door hoping she would come through and ask for tea lowly under her breath, and they would laugh together about the small things. He wanted to see her across the room lying down on her bed, facing towards him as they slept. He wanted to be a man that she would love.

But no, he was the failure, the coward, the secretary.

He looked at the data pad and saw the notification for the audio file popped up on the screen, he wanted to delete it but he could barely even look at it now. He was pretending to be prepared to die that day, and that was proof of his cowardice. Proof of words he would never get to say and proof that everything was just wishful thinking. He fell asleep that night, alone.

He woke up that morning, alone.

He felt lonelier in Armonia that was filled with people, than he did when he was in the temple that day.

* * *

 

Kimball did not go back to their room until she knew Doyle had left for breakfast that morning. She watched him walk out slowly, looking around almost hopefully for someone. But when he saw no one, he let out a long audible breath and walked down to the mess hall mopily. He had no gun and no data pad. No paperwork. No sketchbook. It was odd seeing him so bare of items.

She shook her head of thoughts of Doyle that didn’t include hating him and quickly headed to their room, soon to be just his. She didn't care if she had to room with rookies she was not going to spend another day or night next  _him_.

She stayed there for hours, taking her time with gathering her things. It was silly she supposed, but… She didn’t quite want to leave. She hated that. She hated the happy memories she saw wherever she looked and she hated the pictures on her side table that he drew for her. She hated the way that he saw her. She couldn’t keep these.

As she was about put down the drawings she saw the notification on his data pad.

“IN CASE OF MY DEATH”

She hesitated for a moment, but her curiosity got the better of her and she swiped for access to the audio file. Only to be met with a password. She growled and thought to all the things she new about him and her face brightened with an idea. She spoke as she typed, “English Breakfast.” It made a ding noise of approval and she smiled, only to frown again when she was met with another password.

“Somebody doesn’t want anyone snooping…”

She tried several things. Drawing, tea, crochet, fed, shakespeare, courage (she was hesitant on that one) and the data pad was allowing one last try. She huffed and bit her lip, “Maybe it’s…”

She slowly typed in “V-A-N-E-S-S-A”.

_Ding!_

The audio file popped up and started to play.


	5. The Audio File

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kimball finds out how Doyle feels, and then is called to a meeting. We all know how this counseling session goes.

_“Alright this is… I think I might die here today which is honestly terrifying, but I’ll try to keep on the brighter side of things! I might not die as well! Ehehe… Who am I kidding, Felix is going to find me and there is no way I’ll be able to fight him of all people…”_

_Doyle pauses._

_“Sometimes I wonder if him and Vanessa… They way she sometimes talks about him… If he did hurt her then… Well then I would love to give that idiot a piece of my mind. Even if that piece would be extremely ineffective.”_

_He laughs sadly._

_“No one will probably read this but… If you do, I would like to say in advance I apologize for not leading better and never having the guts to…”_

_He pauses again._

_“To tell Vanessa- I mean Miss Kimball how I feel about her, and if you could pass this message along to her that would be grand. Maybe edit out the first bit, if you could? I don’t want any potential bad memories brought by my mindless theorizing.”_

_It’s silent for a moment._

_“Vanessa Kimball, you are the most bravest and outrageous person I have ever met in my life and I’m happy to leave my share of our army to you. I know you are more than capable of taking care of things in my… permanent absence. But this is not what I wanted to tell you before I… potentially pass.”_

_He sighs and his voice becomes unsteady, “I have… Told you before that I find you… attractive to say the least, and you are the most beautiful person I have ever met. The bravest and most courageous. Most stubborn and hard to work with. “ He chuckles nervously, “And every little happy moment we shared together are some the best memories I have.”_

_“I’m sorry that I am such a coward and never told you this in person but I…”_

_“I love you.”_

_“And I am so happy that I got to fall in love with you Vanessa, I am so happy I got to meet you as well.”_

_Another long pause._

 

_“Goodbye.”_

* * *

 

Vanessa Kimball had never been so shocked in her life.

Well that was wrong, she could list several more shocking moments but right now it felt like the most shocking even if it wasn’t. She no longer knew how to feel about anything anymore, everything in her had gone sort of… numb.

She was angry, and upset, and somewhat flattered but still very very upset and she couldn’t tell why her chest hurt so much.

Millions of thoughts raced through her head all at once and she couldn’t tell which one was the most important. She couldn’t tell if she wanted to shoot Doyle for being a coward and for making her so goddamn confused all the time, or if she wanted to kiss him and tell him the same as he told her. She didn’t know if she wanted to cry or scream, because she hated him yet she cared for him. She disrespected him but respected him. She knew so little about him while he seemed to know everything about her.

“God fucking damn it Donald!” She yelled out into the open air as she pounded her fist against the desk. The mug with his pens and pencils spilled out into the desk and some neatly piled papers became slightly disarray. She stood there, shaking, for what felt like forever till a knock came from the door.

“Jesus christ it better not be him.” She stomped over to the door and opened it to a slightly frightened private who mumbled something about a meeting in the war room.

Kimball went back into the room, snatched her helmet, and pushed passed the private and continued her stomp all the way to the war room where she was met with one sight she definitely did not want to see right now.

His helmet was on, but she could tell he was trying look away from her if he could.

Her only comfort was the helmet she hastily had put on. It could hide any emotion that her face could not, although her voice could not say they same.

“A counseling session! Just you two and your closest friends, here to talk and support you!”

It would betray her as conversation went on. The Reds and Blues did their… “best” to set a good example as to what this counseling session was supposed to look like. But ultimately failed horrendously, which was not surprising in the slightest.

“Attitude isn’t our problem, it’s a complete and utter breakdown in cooperation.” She tried her best to keep her voice without emotion, lest it betray her.

“Well cooperation is a two way street, _Miss Kimball_.”

She almost smacked herself when she thought about how much this felt like this exercise with Doc was couple’s counseling. She and Doyle were not a couple, would never be a couple, and she was determined to hate his sorry ass.

 “If you want to stay in this death trap of a city that’s fine, but if you think for a second I’m letting you take down the New Republic with you-”

‘You _hate_ him. He is a coward.’

“Okay, if we could all-” Doc tried to interject, to calm the situation.

“Leaving is suicide! You need us, just as much as we need you! If you run off now you’ll doom us all!” She could feel the anger from earlier quickly bubbling up as the argument continued on, she could slowly feel herself slipping into the rampant anger.

“I’d rather die trying something instead of wasting another second standing around here!”

“K-kimball-”

“I HAVE THE SPEAKING BALL.”

She couldn’t do this anymore. “You know what, I’m done talking. I’m ready for action.” She turned to leave and began to walk only to be stopped by Doc.

“W-wait! P-p-please! Can’t you say at least one nice thing about the other person? Something? Anything?!”

She paused before turning back to Doyle, “I always imagined you as a tyrant. A madman bent on absolute control. Now I see I was wrong.”

‘Push him away.’

“You’re just a stubborn, incompetent man. And I don’t know what’s worse.”

“You know what your problem is Vanessa?”

‘Please,’ she thought to herself, ‘make me hate you.’

“You’re far too eager to die for your beliefs! When felt your government had betrayed you, you stood against it. When your leaders fell before you, you took their place. And now, when we are at our _most_ vulnerable, you want to fight! I can honestly say, “

 

‘Yes.’

“That… I’ve never met a more, “

 

‘No don’t say it. Don’t do it, I know what you’re going to say please don’t’

“Courageous individual in all my life.”

 

"What?"

 

“I wish!” He stopped and his voice got softer, “I wish I had a tenth of the courage you possess, maybe if I did I’d of made a better general. But I don’t. And I’m afraid. Not just for myself, but for my people.”

She had to shut him up she couldn't listen to him, she couldn't care about him, or respect him, not in this situation it wasn't fair. “There my people too.”

“Which is precisely why we should be working to save them.” 

She hated all of this and she hated that he was coward to say everything to her face, he must of purposely left that data pad for her. He just wanted to win her over, to get her to surrender everything to him by making her love him. He was just like  _ **him**._

Her voice went bitter, “You think some cheap compliments are going to win me over?”

“Why do you insist on fighting me?!”

Washington tried to interject, but suddenly there was an explosion and a distressed voice radioed through.

 

“GENERAL KIMBALL, WE’RE UNDER ATTACK.”

 ****  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I took out most the dialogue added in by the reds and blues because I felt it would be more dramatic if all their side comments were taken out. On another note:
> 
> :3 I wonder where this story could be going?


	6. In Your Final Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In his final moments, what happens?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for the excruciatingly long wait (well I guess it was only a month but still that's a long time to wait for the final chapter). So yeah final chapter here! I worked really hard to make it smooth and good, and it's the longest chapter yet as well. Reaching eight pages on google docs, double and almost triple the amount of the usual amount hehe! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy my lovely readers!

Doyle limped behind a pillar, and slid down against it. He thought he could do it on his own. He just wanted to be a hero, to show them he was brave. And now look what he had done, he hadn’t even reached the console before they saw him and shot. And now he was bleeding from his leg without the reactor even timed to go off. He had failed, and he was going to make all his soldiers and himself die in vain.

“Doyle what’s going on!?” Kimball’s angered yet worried voice blasted through the radio and he winced.

He shakily responded, “I-I’ve been shot… I’m in the room b-but I can’t reach the console…”

“Shit!”

He heard the Charon soldiers behind him stop fire, waiting to see if he was still alive. He leaned his head against the surface behind him and sighed. He really was going to die here and fail everyone. Die a failure and a coward. He looked around him to see what he could use and saw the sticky bomb gun.

He could…

“I’m going to blow up the core a bit more… Dangerously. You need to evacuate now.”

* * *

 

After Armonia took it’s fall, taking the life of General Donald Doyle, General Kimball was left in charge of the entire population of Chorus. There was of course opposition and discomfort at first, but as we know the story goes she was able to rally the troops and lead them to victory at the Communication Tower. A world where she never knew the truth, where he never got to tell her how he truly felt.

After the war, the Reds and Blues were even more revered than before and Agents Washington and Carolina were forgiven for their past war crimes and marked as alive. They finally all returned home for those who had ones, and some stayed on Chorus to help with reconstruction. Vanessa Kimball reconstructed Chorus from the ruin it was left in almost single handedly as a leader. She brought Chorus to glory and power within a few years and was going to labeled as one of the most brilliant leaders in the galaxy, an impressive feat. Doyle became a martyr and symbol of Chorus, revered as a hero for centuries to come.

But we take our story a six or so months after the war ended and peace was brought to the colony of Chorus, now settling its independance. Vanessa Kimball was sitting in her office frustrated with the heavy amount of paperwork that had been appearing on her desk. Shouldn’t she have secretaries that dealt with that? Why hadn’t she dealt with paperwork when she was just running the Republic? Right, rebels didn’t really have paperwork, and Doyle dealt with the paperwork after that.

Doyle.

He was often in her thoughts, haunting her with this silly accent and flustered smiles. A picture of him was hung in the office, not something she had asked for but she supposed she didn’t mind. A little company never hurt. She would never admit, but she sometimes talked to him about things that happened. She told him how she was rebuilding Armonia and dedicating it to him. She would talk to the picture as if he had advice.

Now that she was the sole leader of Chorus people didn’t act as… She wouldn’t say people were particularly unfriendly rather they just didn’t treat her with the same familiarity they used to. She supposed she didn’t mind too much, but she did miss have people to talk to just relax and confide in.

“It would of been nice to have you around coward. But you just had to go and blow yourself up.” She playfully glared at the picture and sighed before getting back to her paperwork.

She really needed a fucking secretary. One of the Feds (it was habit she couldn’t break sadly, they were very different from the News) would probably be more apt at this paperwork stuff. Kimball resisted an evil cackle at the thought of throwing all of this paperwork their way. The horrified look she was imagining was almost worth all the shit she would get from them.

Her thoughts were broken by a quiet knock on the door, and she gathered herself to have a more formal look, but decided to ditch the helmet to be more friendly.

“Come in.”

Dr. Grey came in without the usual chipper skip in her step, she took off her helmet and had a solemn look on her face.

Kimball didn’t know the doctor well but what she did know of her told her that this was far from usual and that she should be extremely worried.

Grey saluted her and then gently laid down a data pad and sketchbook in front of Kimball. “I’m sorry I kept these for so long, but I didn’t know till recently he wanted to give them to you. While we were evacuating Chorus, Donald… Well he very impolitely shoved these in my arms for safe keeping since I was getting out earlier than him. I recently got curious as to what they were and… I’m very sure he wanted these to go to you. I wrote the passwords in the front of the sketchbook, along with the audio file I think you… Need to hear.”

Kimball gave her a small nod and Grey left without another word.

She typed in the two passwords into the data pad, slightly confused her own name was one of the passwords and found the audio file needed. She played the audio and began to the flip through the sketchbook, memories of those tender moments rushing back like a storm.

“Alright this is… I think I might die here today which is honestly terrifying, but I’ll try to keep on the brighter side of things! I might not die as well! Ehehe… Who am I kidding, Felix is going to find me and there is no way I’ll be able to fight him of all people…”

She smiled a bit as the audio went on, it was just how she remembered him. The sketchbook all had drawings of her, hearts drawn by some of them. She grimaced when he talked a bit about Felix, boy was she glad that fucker was dead. Another person to add to list of pretending like she didn’t miss or didn’t want to miss. But he would of been nice to talk to right now. Or at least the him that she wanted to remember.

The audio caught her attention again as she heard her name.

“Vanessa Kimball, you are the most bravest and outrageous person I have ever met in my life and I’m happy to leave my share of our army to you. I know you are more than capable of taking care of things in my… permanent absence. But this is not what I wanted to tell you before I… potentially pass.”

She stopped flipping through the pages and began to listen intently to what he was going to say next, she hadn’t noticed that her heart had begun to beat faster than before.

“I have… Told you before that I find you… attractive to say the least, and you are the most beautiful person I have ever met. The bravest and most courageous. Most stubborn and hard to work with. “

She felt her cheeks just grow a bit warmer and her smile just get a bit wider as she listened. Remembering back to when she had first discovered his sketches, it was surprising to find him doing that and saying those things.

“And every little happy moment we shared together are some the best memories I have.”

She remembered their silly tea party, and forcing him to sleep properly.

“I’m sorry that I am such a coward and never told you this in person but I…”

She bit her lip and looked at the data pad with furrowed brows, “Don’t…”

 

“I love you.”

 

“And I am so happy that I got to fall in love with you Vanessa, I am so happy I got to meet you as well.”

 

“Goodbye.”

 

She hadn’t realized she had gotten so emotional till the tears were rolling down her cheek and she felt this stabbing pain in her chest. “You fucking coward.” She sobbed and locked her office door. She locked the sketchbook and datapad away, and it was only years later that she was able to look at them again.

In a world where she never learned the truth, he met his end, but that's not our story.

* * *

 

Armonia was home.

Doyle wished there was another way, but there wasn’t.

“Doyle, you evacuate with the Reds and Blues and don’t get killed. Wash, Kimball, and I will go to activate the reactor.” Carolina ordered.

If anyone was going to blow up his home, it might as well be him.

“W-wait, it might be better if I go with you!” he inwardly cursed as his voice cracked a little. He didn’t want one of Carolina’s scary looks even if was through her helmet- oooh there it was.

“What.”

He quickly reasoned with her, “I know Armonia like the back of my hand. I can get us in and out quicker than if you went by yourselves! And with you all there, I surely wouldn’t die.”

Kimball growled, “It’s a little too late to be a hero Doyle.”

“I’m not trying to be a hero!” Doyle quickly defended himself, although if he admitted it to himself he was trying to be a hero. “Armonia is my home, and the home to many of our people. Not only will it be safer because it’s faster, but it’s only appropriate I get to…” he sighed. “Say goodbye.”

Carolina sighed, “Fine.”

And that was how the four of them found themselves silently, and awkwardly making their way through the twists and turns of Armonia. Kimball looked like she was going through some of the biggest inner turmoil of her life, which came out as silent-angry-seething. And Doyle looked like he could wet his pants, or that he already might have and was desperately trying to hide it.

Wash leaned close to Carolina, “Donut tried to convince me once that they were in love. But I don’t know.”

Carolina, despite the heavy situation, chuckled to herself, “You’d be surprised Wash.”

“Wait- what does that mean?”

Unfortunately this light hearted conversation was ended when they turned a corner and were met face-to-face with the former insurrectionist who Carolina really did not want to see right now. Doyle shrieked and Kimball immediately pushed him behind her, taking a protective stance. Carolina immediately stood in front of all of them, “Wash, take Doyle and Kimball and get to the reactor, I’ll meet you at the evac point.”

It wasn’t long after that Kimball and Wash were asked to meet Carolina there to clear the evac point, but then there was the problem of leaving Doyle on his own. Doyle gave the two a shaky reassurance that he would be fine on his own. And soon Doyle was traveling the halls of Armonia by himself, and almost to the reactor.

“It’s alright Donald, it’s not like anyone else would be down here. You're all alone to your thoughts! Just like the temple… Let’s not compare a bad situation to this new one that is fruitful with success!”

He sighed, “Hah… Success.”

Doyle stopped in one of the door ways to the reactor and almost shrieked when he saw the area already occupied by some Charon soldiers. “Damn… They must of been searching the area and got lost. Just my luck.”

He radioed in to Kimball and Wash in a whisper, “I’ve reached the reactor but…”

Kimball immediately sounded alarmed, “But?!”

“Some Charon soldiers seemed to have gotten here before me. I think they’re lost.”

Kimball looked like she was going to shoot someone, to which Wash then backed away from her.

Doyle spoke again, “I’m going to try to sneak around!”

* * *

 

Doyle limped behind a pillar, and slid down against it. He thought he could do it on his own. He just wanted to be a hero, to show them he was brave. And now look what he had done, he hadn’t even reached the console before they saw him and shot. And now he was bleeding from his leg without the reactor even timed to go off. He had failed, and he was going to make all his soldiers and himself die in vain.

“Doyle what’s going on!?” Kimball’s angered yet worried voice blasted through the radio and he winced.

He shakily responded, “I-I’ve been shot… I’m in the room b-but I can’t reach the console…”

“Shit!”

He heard the Charon soldiers behind him stop fire, waiting to see if he was still alive. He leaned his head against the surface behind him and sighed. He really was going to die here and fail everyone. Die a failure and a coward. He looked around him to see what he could use and saw the sticky bomb gun.

He could…

He took in a long breath, “I’m going to blow up the core a bit more… Dangerously. You need to evacuate now.”

“Don’t you fucking dare Donald!”

“Vanessa it’s the only way-”

“Bullshit! Your useless to me and _our_ people dead! Now pick up your goddamn gun for once and use it to survive till I get down there, or I will raise you from the dead again and kill you myself! Is that understood?”

He gasped and couldn’t help but smile wide. She did care, at least somewhat. “Y-yes M’am!”

Kimball rushed off without a word to Wash, who watched her hightail it with a grimace.

“I hate it when Carolina’s right. She’s always right.”

* * *

 

Kimball rushed in and immediately saw Doyle pinned down and about to bite it. She immediately took out the closest soldiers and ran over to Doyle who was bleeding all too much.

“Ah! Good to see you Miss Kimball-”

“No time for chit chat, can you make your way over to the console and activate the reactor if I cover you?” She shot at the enemy while she talked.

“Y-yes, will crawling do?”

Kimball rolled her eyes, and though they were wearing helmets Doyle could tell. “Yes, now go!”

Doyle crawled his way to the console and quickly began to work his way around the safety locks and to the self-destruct.

Kimball cursed as she ran out of bullets in one gun and quickly switched it out for another, “Doyle, would you hurry up I’m running low over here!”

“Patience is a virtue Miss Kimball!”

“Not when we’re about to fucking die!” She muttered under her breath, “Who the hell was in charge of ammo anyway?”

Moments later Doyle activated the self destruct, “I-I did it!”

“Alright time to get out of here!” Kimball quickly ran over to Doyle and threw him over her shoulder, to which Doyle made a small high-pitched noise of surprise. She hightailed it out of the reactor room to the evac point and radioed Wash, “The countdown started, are we ready for evac?”

“Ready for you, Kimball, are you two alright?”

“Doyle got hit, but it’s nothing serious. We’ll be there soon!”

As they rushed through the halls Doyle could feel the weariness of blood loss coming to affect him. “V-vanessa?”

“Not the time Doyle.”

He persisted, “If… If I die of blood loss-”

“You’re not gonna die-”

“Will you please just listen to this? Its an audio file on my helmet, labeled in case of my death-”

He could hear her smile, “Already seen it Donald."

“Oh.”

There was a silence and they arrived at the pelican, and both of them were strapped in. They made a hasty getaway and congratulations went round. Doyle began to feel more light headed and turned towards Kimball.

He started again, “V-vanessa if I live-”

“Donald. You’re not going to die.”

He snapped a little, “Stop interrupting me!”

She sighed, “Fine.”

“If I live, “he paused to make sure she didn’t interrupt and she rolled her eyes, “will you, Vanessa Kimball, allow me to court you?”

She snorted at him, “Sure.”

And with a more chipper tune he said, “Well then I’ll have to live.”

Then from the front of the pelican they heard Grif scoff, “Jesus Christ you two, get a room.”

* * *

 

Doyle made a speedy recovery, and the two of them were able to lead their soldiers against the last stand against Charon. Of course there was some disagreement and blame at first. But they sorted it out, both were revered as heroes of Chorus for their efforts, and it was not long after the war that they became a bit more public.

They brought Chorus to glory together, ruling it together, and making a name for themselves in the universe together. They went far beyond just a simple colony.

All because of one decision that twisted fate to give them, at least in one universe, a happy ending.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I want to give a big thank you to my girlfriend who went through this last chapter for me to make sure I didn't sound like a god damn idiot, and to you my lovely readers! It was fun, I guess kinda short adventure with you guys and I'm really happy about it.
> 
> (This is my first finished multi-chaptered fic. I feel proud my friends.) 
> 
> I would really appreciate it if you guys could give me your two cents y'know? Favorite parts of the fic, hopes, dreams, anything would be really great! Although if you come at me with rage idk how well that will go over hehe. But if not that a little boost on Tumblr or something would be amazing! <3 
> 
> The more support a writer gets the more they wanna write y'know? 
> 
> I love you guys! <3 See ya in another story! (hopefully!)


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